The field of the invention relates generally to machines for changing a tire on a wheel rim, and more specifically to tire changing machines having force detection, position detection and control capability.
The process of removing a tire from a wheel rim and replacing it with another tire, referred to herein as tire changing, can be difficult. In response to such difficulties, machines have been developed to facilitate the tire changing process. Manual or machine implemented tools are also utilized to press the tire onto the wheel rim for installation. While known machines have obtained some level of success in reducing the time and labor associated with changing a tire, there remains room for improvement.